What is jaw physiotherapy?
Jaw physiotherapy is a form of therapy with which diseases of the temporomandibular jointalso Craniomandibular Dysfunction (CMD) called, are treated. CMD physiotherapy is a proven method against temporomandibular joint disorders, which can arise due to functional disorders of teeth, the temporomandibular joint itself or the masticatory muscles. CMD can occur due to unnatural movements of the masticatory system, teeth grinding, malocclusions of the jaw, inappropriate dentures or else stress loads of the spine or shoulders, which occur in 80% of cases. When patients have a stressful daily routine, this often leads to tension in the shoulder girdle, which in turn can cause dysfunction in the temporomandibular joint. Prolonged jaw pain that is left untreated can spread and become Headaches, dizziness and even Tinnitus lead. Untreated CMD can cause pain in distant parts of the body as it relates to the TMJ through the neck and spine. Excitingly Stress the biggest risk factorThe reason for this is that many people have a tendency to get sick with CMD, because many people have a reaction to the jaw or the masticatory system, and stressed people grind their teeth, for example. Most often suffer from CMD people between the ages of 20 and 40.with women being affected twice as often as men.
When and how is jaw physiotherapy used?
The typical symptoms of CMD are Spain or clicking in the jawheadache, earache or facial pain, migraine, teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism), tension in the back and neck, problems opening the mouth, Sleep disorders and snoring.
CMD should be detected and treated as early as possible so that the pain is not transferred to other parts of the body. The complaints triggered by CMD can be very different and thus patients show different accompaniments on. Therapists therefore try to diagnose different types of pain and then mobilize the temporomandibular joint using special manual techniques. Through the manual treatment, it is attempted to Ligaments and cartilage structures of the jaw to direct, to alleviate the discomfort. Often the manual treatment of the temporomandibular joint with other types of treatment like dry needling combined. In some cases, an additional interdisciplinary treatment at the dentist resp. recommended at the dentist to find out the causes of CMD and fabricated Bite splintswhich relieve the temporomandibular joints and protect the teeth. Bite splints as well as permanent splints can help to guide the jaws back into the right position and protect against night grinding. These are effective immediate measuresbut should be supplemented with therapy be used, as they protect the teeth but do not relieve pain. Considering the fact that persistent stress is the cause of CMD in 80% of cases. it is recommended to reduce the stress load and to implement measures for muscle relaxation such as Mindfulness, Deceleration and a holistic lifestyle change to undertake.
